Weddings to touch the heart, satisfy the soul and celebrate your love!

Ceremonies with meaningful, moving reflections that will elevate your wedding from ordinary, generic or rigid to unique, personal and unforgettable!

Rev. Sandy works with couples to create customized weddings that can include, families, guests, children... pets! Choose from a wide range of samples to truly say it your way. Include optional pieces to reflect cultural and ethnic diversity such as the Celtic Handfasting, the Sand Ceremony for a blended family and more. Receive guidance in writing your own vows or selecting from the many variations provided. Incorporate your personal touches. It's your day!

Rev Sandy's wedding ceremonies acknowledge and honor:

the joy of finding the love of your life

the spiritual aspects of marriage

the psychological dimensions of love

the previously married and blended families

the delight of love later in life

To support you in selecting your officiant, read Sandy's article: Do You, Don't You; Will You, Won't You?

Call 503.579.8125 now to schedule your Free in-person consultation and decide whether Rev. Sandy is the right officiant for you. No charge for email and phone calls throughout the process.

Commitment Ceremonies

“The guests all reported being moved by the service... It suited us exactly. You are such a big part in our fond memories of the day.”—Teresa and Bob

For the couple who want to declare their love and commitment without the state sanctioned legalities, Rev. Sandy creates a moving and meaningful ceremony with many of the same aspects as the wedding.

A committed relationship is not created by a law or even a ceremony. It occurs in the hearts of two human beings. It grows out of loving, caring and sharing ourselves with another. When you have connected your hearts, minds, souls and life goals, a Commitment Ceremony proclaims your union publicly. Surrounded by supportive families and friends, the ceremony is an outward sign of the inward commitment that already exists between the two of you.

When you decide, after a free, no obligation consultation, that you would like Rev Sandy to create and officiate your event, she will provide:

samples pieces from which to choose your words

options to include children, parents & other special guests

creative rituals to honor cultural or ethnic diversity

1-2 planning session and unlimited phone calls & emails

a personalized ceremony in a souvenir booklet

guidance through the whole process

To support you in selecting your officiant, read Sandy's article: Do You, Don't You; Will You, Won't You? Call 503.579.8125 now to schedule your Free in-person consultation and decide whether Rev. Sandy is the right officiant for you. No charge for email and phone calls throughout the process.

Renewal of Vows

“The guests all reported being moved by the service... It suited us exactly. You are such a big part in our fond memories of the day.”—Teresa and Bob

Whether marking a special anniversary or recommitting to the marriage vows after a time of separation or difficulty, this ceremony celebrates the deepening and maturation of the relationship. Similar to the wedding, this ceremony may be a small intimate gathering or a time of reunion for family and friends.

When choosing to recommit through renewing vows, you acknowledge that marriage is at once the most tender, yet challenging, of all relationships. You come to this event well aware of the vicissitudes of long term relationships and you are publicly declaring that you are going forward, hand in hand, heart to heart.
Rev Sandy offers a free, no obligation consultation to share ideas and options so that you can be sure she is the best person to create and officiate your special ceremony.

Sandy's Background

Rev. Sandy Shipley is an ordained minister who, after a 12 year pastorate in Hawaii and Oregon, now "ministers" through weddings and other ceremonies, counseling practice, as guest speaker and teacher. She has served the adjunct faculties of Portland Community College, the Holmes Institute, Pacific North West campus in Seattle, and New West Seminary in Oregon City.

Honoring Life's Events with Ceremonies and Rituals that Touch the Heart and Satisfy the Soul

“The guests all reported being moved by the service... It suited us exactly. You are such a big part in our fond memories of the day.”—Teresa and Bob

Ceremonies and Rituals are enjoying a resurgence as people realize the importance of marking life's phases and transitions. In these fast paced times, we tend to rush into the next experience without closure for the last one. When endings and beginnings are ritualized— formally or informally, individually or collectively—depth of meaning and completion occur. Rituals can be reformed to fit the present while reviving the past and serving the future.

Baby Naming

Welcoming a new life into a family, a community and the world is celebrated with a Baby Naming and Blessing. It is a time to rejoice in life, the life that is now expressed as this child. This ritual honors the name given and interprets its meaning. These ceremonies can be formal or very casual. The ceremony may reflect the culture, values and beliefs of the family the child is entering. Hopes and dreams for the child are expressed while acknowledging his or her uniqueness and the many choices life holds. Fees range from $250 to $400.

Rev. Sandy is also available to officiate at Christenings and Baptisms.

Memorials & Funerals

We have been called the "death defying, death denying" people. Rev. Sandy has years of training and experience in assisting people who are dealing with life's inevitable losses and the "mourning after." She is available to offer grief counseling and to assist with planning and officiating at memorial and funeral services. Her services are celebrations of life, both solemn and joyous. They are meant to honor the deceased, comfort the survivors, and bring a sense of continuity within this time of closure. A funeral may be sad, but need not be morbid or staid.

Have you experienced the loss of a loved one where there was no service or ritual and no closure? A Memorial may be held at any time, for any size gathering. Contact Rev. Sandy for options and details.

Services include in-person consultations, a customized service and Internment. Fees range from $150 to $300. Additional grief counseling is separate.

Blessings

Rev. Sandy was called upon to offer a Blessing when an addition was added to the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel in Waikiki. This Polynesian and Asian tradition of blessing buildings, homes and businesses is being practiced more and more in the West. Just as we mark beginnings and endings with marriages, naming ceremonies and memorials, Blessings ritualize our intentions for the places we inhabit. Your new home "house warming" or business "open house" can include this meaningful ritual tailored to your needs. Fees range from $250-$400.

Do You, Don't You; Will You, Won't You?

“ ...wanted to tell you how much we appreciated the time and effort you put into getting to know us and writing a ceremony that was beautiful and elegant.”—Rebecca and Mark

Choosing Your Wedding Officiant
by Rev. Sandy Shipley

It amazes me that a couple would marry in a ceremony they hadn’t help create or even read beforehand. Vows are powerful and set the intention for your married life. Therefore, your choice of officiant to write the ceremony is vital.

Is that person not only willing but able to accurately convey your ideas about marriage and reflect your emotions about the wedding? As your spokesperson, will the officiant’s words speak meaningfully to you, your partner, your gathered families and friends? Will your beliefs about marriage, your values, hopes and dreams be addressed? What is the feeling you want to set on your special day: an intimate conversation, sacred ritual, gathering of clans, formal social event, even a theatrical performance or festival?

Planning the wedding is like marriage itself – the opportunity of discovery and growth. Use this collaboration to create something that reflects your relationship, your individual talents and a place to practice negotiating. I usually conclude a consultation with the couple by reminding them, “The first test of marriage is planning the wedding!”

Some officiants will not deviate from their standard ceremony. I specialize in personalizing the ceremony with your information and sample pieces from which you choose. I am creative, flexible and mindful of what you want. A seasoned and confident officiant, I will guide and counsel you along the way. I create ways to include children or pets, acknowledge parents or a deceased relative. I provide additional elements such as The Unity Candle, Rose Exchange or Sand Ceremony and optional rituals that honor ethnic and cultural traditions such as Celtic Handfasting.

As an experienced officiant, I work well with your wedding coordinator. If you don’t use a coordinator, I can assist with the logistics and direct the rehearsal.

With the Internet, officiants have become accustomed to comparative shoppers. Things to consider when you interview an officiant:

Do you feel comfortable with this person? Can you express your desires, any objections, ask seemingly silly questions, have it your way? Trust your intuition. Note your first impression, yet give the person time to present their ideas and themself.

Do you like the sound of their voice? This will be the voice that instructs, inspires and delights the gathering and leads you in repeating your vows.

Do you like their appearance? Ask what they will wear so that it complements the wedding party. Remember, this person will be in your wedding pictures!

Do you feel a connection allowing you to trust this person to have a “sense” of you and your unique relationship?

Does this person instill confidence by being organized and efficient?

Does the person exude the enthusiasm and authority to write your ceremony?

Marriage is crossing the threshold from solitary person to the joys and responsibilities of sharing your life with another. I can provide meaningful, moving reflections that will elevate your wedding ceremony from ordinary, generic and rigid to unique, personal and unforgettable.

Free, no obligation consultation in my office or by phone and email for your convenience.

One or two planning sessions, a personalized ceremony with souvenir copy, officiating at the wedding, and completing the licensing. Pricing begins at $195 for elopements to $500 for full service weddings with options inbetween.

Premarital Counseling—is highly recommended but not required. Includes discovering areas crucial to marital success such as: coping skills and problem solving styles, household responsibilities, friendships and family of origin and attitudes about children.

Guidance and negotiation is facilitated in the common areas of conflict in marriages—PMS: power/parenting, money and sex! Premarital – or post-marital counseling at $150 per hour.

Call 503.550.1744 or email weddings@sagecreative.org now to schedule your consultation and decide whether Rev. Sandy is the right officiant for you.